1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a safety hatch or scuttle device manufactured with a safety guard rail as part of the scuttle frame and also relates to the roof membrane retainer base flashing structure to hold the roofing membrane to the curb of the safety hatch. This invention also concerns the provision of independent safety rail bracket support members that can be secured at any desired location along the upper rim of a safety hatch curb. More particularly the present invention concerns a safety hatch assembly having hatch curb flashing securing roofing membrane to the curb and providing for mounting of safety rail support brackets that support a safety rail assembly in position for efficient use. The present invention also concerns a safety hatch system incorporating a safety railing assembly that is operatively connected with the hatch door or closure and is raised from a collapsed condition to its safe position responsive to opening movement of the pivotally mounted hatch.
2. Description of the Related Art
A safety hatch is generally a rectangular metal frame of any size and shape with welded components designed to be secured to a roof or floor structure about an opening permitting personnel movement through the opening, such as for access of service personnel to the roof of a building. Conventional safety hatches have a vertical sheet metal inner curb wall surface liner flashing with a 90° horizontal flange at the bottom of the wall that extends beneath the curb and serves to anchor the curb to the roof or floor deck with fasteners that extend through holes provided in the flange. Rigid fiberboard insulation is typically provided around the inner wall and forms the outer wall of the frame of the curb. A sheet metal flashing caps the top of the liner wall and extends downward to cover the top portion of the outer wall. A pivotally mounted metal or plastic cover or closure is commonly used to cover the rectangular frame and is provided with a hinge on one end that is secured to the upper portion of the safety hatch frame. The cover has an inner and/or outer handle which is actuated to unlock, open or close and lock the cover. For ease of opening or closing the hatch cover or door one or more torsion bar springs are compressed during closing movement to cushion operation of the cover and prevent the cover from slamming closed by dead weight.
A typical safety hatch structure is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,020 of Cermola et al. A safety hatch mechanism having roofing membrane support is presented in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,941,300 and 5,960,596 of Lyons. Safety hatchs having movable skylights are presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,645 of Lipton. Safety rail and safety hatch or hatch assemblies are presented in U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,528 of Proveta et al and U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2005/0006634 of Joseph Cuccurullo.